The Maker Speaks
Asahi Super-dry
Already Out-of-date?
Already Out-of-date?
Hello. I'm so glad you are here with me now. I'm talking about Asahi Super-dry, a beer product by Asahi Beer in Japan. They first launched it in 1987 March. And today it has worked as their representative one. As it turns out, however, I suppose it is already out-of-date.
In the middle of 1980's, Asahi Beer were almost in a fix for their inactive sales. And they needed to produce a new beer that would help themselves out of the difficulties. What was to do? They had to produce what would suit the taste of most Japanese people. So they thoroughly investigated what beer Japanese ones desired to drink at table.
We could see Japan's economic growth in the middle of 1980's. The growth changed diet of most Japanese people. It is said they got to love to eat dishes seasoned heavily. For instance, the purchase volume of oils and fats became twice as much in the two decades, from 1960 to 1980. In short, economic growth made Japanese people love dishes seasoned heavily.
Asahi Beer knew that by their investigation, and tried to produce what would suit the taste of Japanese people in 1980's. They found that most Japanese people loved to drink slight beer with dishes seasoned heavily. I guess it was reasonable. I don't like to eat heavy dishes with a heavy drink. In 1987, they finally produced and launched Asahi Super-dry, the slight beer for Japanese people in 1980's.
Asahi Super-dry became very popular over Japan. It is said that they tried for selling one million boxes a year at the beginning, 1987. Surprisingly, it sold 100 million boxes a year in 1989, however. What does it mean? The slight beer was loved by many Japanese people, doubtlessly. In this recent 3 decades, 1989 to 2019, Asahi Super-dry has been most popular among all Japan's beer products. We can say so.
I can feel shadows close in upon them. What is it? Asahi Super-dry has sold less than the previous year in this 6 years, in fact. What goes up must come down. But what on earth made it down?
I suppose Asahi Super-dry has already been out-of-date. My personal opinion says today Japan's economy has been pretty more impoverished than 1980's. In short, we Japanese people are far poorer than ourselves of 30 years ago. I have no plan to help. I am not an economist. Anyway, I guess the decline also (slowly) changed our eating habits. No weird idea, isn't that? Economic growth changed our eating habits one day. So economic decline also can change the habits. Asahi Super-dry was made for the eating habits in 1980's as mentioned above. It may be unsuitable for the recent habits.
Is it true that Japan's economy has been far down? Our 2018 real wages were (on the whole) less than 1988's, said the data of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. What makes Asahi Super-dry rise again? If the whole Japanese companies make a boost in salary all at once, it may rise again. I am not sure. Why don't Asahi Beer labor strike for higher wages, anyway?
Asahi Super-dry Alcohol: 5% Ingredients: Hops, Wheat, Rice, Corns and Starch Volume: 350 ml File: Asahi SUPER DRY 20110111.jpg from the Japanese Wikipedia （Photoed on Jan. 11, 2011） |
We could see Japan's economic growth in the middle of 1980's. The growth changed diet of most Japanese people. It is said they got to love to eat dishes seasoned heavily. For instance, the purchase volume of oils and fats became twice as much in the two decades, from 1960 to 1980. In short, economic growth made Japanese people love dishes seasoned heavily.
Asahi Beer knew that by their investigation, and tried to produce what would suit the taste of Japanese people in 1980's. They found that most Japanese people loved to drink slight beer with dishes seasoned heavily. I guess it was reasonable. I don't like to eat heavy dishes with a heavy drink. In 1987, they finally produced and launched Asahi Super-dry, the slight beer for Japanese people in 1980's.
Asahi Super-dry became very popular over Japan. It is said that they tried for selling one million boxes a year at the beginning, 1987. Surprisingly, it sold 100 million boxes a year in 1989, however. What does it mean? The slight beer was loved by many Japanese people, doubtlessly. In this recent 3 decades, 1989 to 2019, Asahi Super-dry has been most popular among all Japan's beer products. We can say so.
I can feel shadows close in upon them. What is it? Asahi Super-dry has sold less than the previous year in this 6 years, in fact. What goes up must come down. But what on earth made it down?
I suppose Asahi Super-dry has already been out-of-date. My personal opinion says today Japan's economy has been pretty more impoverished than 1980's. In short, we Japanese people are far poorer than ourselves of 30 years ago. I have no plan to help. I am not an economist. Anyway, I guess the decline also (slowly) changed our eating habits. No weird idea, isn't that? Economic growth changed our eating habits one day. So economic decline also can change the habits. Asahi Super-dry was made for the eating habits in 1980's as mentioned above. It may be unsuitable for the recent habits.
Is it true that Japan's economy has been far down? Our 2018 real wages were (on the whole) less than 1988's, said the data of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. What makes Asahi Super-dry rise again? If the whole Japanese companies make a boost in salary all at once, it may rise again. I am not sure. Why don't Asahi Beer labor strike for higher wages, anyway?
